NafisaLeeds United have already made their biggest move of the summer by bringing James Trafford back to Yorkshire, but Daniel Farke and the club’s recruitment team are still working through a sizeable list of jobs before the transfer window closes.
The Whites have been among the more active clubs in the market and have continued to reshape their squad following promotion back to the Premier League. Trafford’s arrival from Manchester City has addressed one of the most important positions, but there is still expected to be movement at both ends of the squad.
Sky Sports understands that Leeds remain keen to strengthen in several areas, with a backup goalkeeper, full-back, midfielder, attacking midfielder and striker all understood to be on the club’s radar.
Before more new faces arrive, though, Leeds also need to continue clearing space within the squad.
Several departures have already been completed this summer. Pascal Struijk, Isaac Schmidt and Jack Harrison have moved on, while Max Wöber left Elland Road on a free transfer before joining German side Schalke.
Another exit now appears to be edging closer, with one of Leeds’ attacking options attracting renewed interest from a Championship club.
Sky Sports confirm imminent Leeds United exit:
Leeds currently have Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Lukas Nmecha, Joel Piroe and Joe Gelhardt among their attacking options heading into the new campaign.
However, there has been increasing uncertainty surrounding the futures of Piroe and Gelhardt.
Piroe has slipped down the pecking order after struggling to establish himself as a regular starter, while Gelhardt spent last season away from Elland Road attempting to rebuild his career and rediscover his goalscoring form.
The 23-year-old enjoyed an impressive spell with Hull City, scoring 15 goals as the Tigers secured promotion to the Premier League through the Championship play-offs.
That form naturally put Gelhardt back on the radar of clubs looking for an attacking addition, while Hull have also made no secret of their desire to bring the forward back.
Interest in a permanent move appeared to cool earlier in the summer, but the situation has changed in recent days.
Hull boss Sergej Jakirovic has publicly indicated that he would like Gelhardt to return, providing a significant indication of the club’s intentions.
The latest development has now come from Sky Sports.
On Wednesday, Sky Sports reporter Zinny Boswell revealed that Gelhardt is close to completing a move back to Hull City.
The transfer is expected to be a permanent deal, although the precise fee Leeds would receive has not yet been disclosed.
That means the Whites could soon have another attacking departure confirmed as Farke continues to streamline his squad ahead of the Premier League campaign.
Best outcome for all parties:
Gelhardt’s Leeds career has never quite developed in the way supporters initially hoped.
The forward emerged as a highly regarded young talent and was given opportunities around the first team, but regular football proved difficult to secure. His time at Elland Road was eventually interrupted by a loan move to Hull, where he finally found the consistent game time needed to demonstrate what he could offer.
His performances last season represented a major boost.
Rather than simply returning to Leeds and remaining on the fringes of Farke’s squad, Gelhardt enhanced his reputation by producing the kind of numbers that attracted serious interest.
Scoring 15 goals during Hull’s promotion campaign gave him a much stronger platform from which to secure his next move.
For Leeds, a permanent transfer would also make sense from a squad-building perspective.
Farke already has several options competing for attacking positions, while the club are expected to explore the market for further reinforcements before the deadline.
If Gelhardt leaves, it would reduce the number of players competing for minutes while also providing the 49ers with another opportunity to generate funds that could be reinvested elsewhere.
For Hull, meanwhile, bringing back a player who already knows the club and proved capable of producing at Championship level would represent an attractive proposition.
Gelhardt would also be moving somewhere he is likely to have a clearer pathway to regular first-team football, something that has been difficult to guarantee at Leeds.
The fact that Hull have already seen what the forward can contribute makes the potential reunion even more logical.
There is still work to be completed before the transfer can officially be announced, particularly with the final details of the agreement yet to emerge.
But with Sky Sports reporting that Gelhardt is now close to a permanent move, his time at Elland Road appears increasingly likely to be coming to an end.
For Leeds, the focus will then turn towards using the space created by another departure to strengthen Farke’s squad in the areas still requiring attention.
With the Premier League season approaching, the Whites are expected to remain active — and Gelhardt’s exit could be another important piece of the summer rebuild.
Nafisa
